They are brutal..

But, the severity depends on one main factor: if its in the bile duct, or not.. If not, they hurt - feels like a sword stabbed you in the abdomen..

If its in the bile duct, it could potentially be a major problem and people HAVE died from it (including my x-ray technician's sister) after it got infected.. After having several regular gallstones, I got one in the bile duct and it became serious within seconds..

Still had the sword to the abdomen feel, except it was a red hot sword and much more severe pain.. the other REALLY uncool symptom was that it felt like somebody sliced my upper back from shoulder to shoulder with a box cutter.. just excruciating pain.. You will also think there is blood in your urine (to the point the doc looked at it and said "yeah, blood in your urine" which, after testing, actually turned out to be liver enzymes, or something, that backup up and found their way out through my bladder..

You then schedule gallbladder removal surgery get a second ultrasound right before the surgery to make sure another gallstone has not made its way into your bile duct - which would necessitate a more complicated, or possibly, second surgery..

I HATED getting my gallbladder out.. There are issues with that that I absolutely don't like, but I haven't been rolling around on the floor in agony since I had it removed.. Surgeon said there were about 100 stones in my gallbladder..

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Friendship is like peeing your pants.. Everybody can see it, but only you can feel the warmth..